Warehousing and shipping companies currently measure incoming cargo to determine the most efficient way to pack cargo for transport. In lieu of increasing insurance premiums, these companies also have a need to document the condition of inbound cargo before accepting it into their facility. Currently, this measuring and documentation is done manually by workers who physically measure the cargo and take pictures of it. Since the nature of warehousing is storage space, the sheer size and scope of these facilities and operations makes this process time consuming, physically demanding on employees, and expensive in overhead costs. Adding visual documentation via photos and video to this process further complicates this issue.
Accuracy is the key in this process. A seagoing container has a set dimension that freight has to be consolidated into. A half-inch discrepancy across approximately 40 pallets worth of freight loaded into one container can lead to an approximate 20 inch overage of freight that won't fit in the container. Weight is also a key element of loading these containers. Bridge laws and state highway regulation only permit so many pounds per axle as well as an overall gross weight of container, chassis, truck, driver, and freight. Currently this problem grows as highway regulation comes under more scrutiny and increases every year.